Improvement in printing-presses



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R. J. STUART.

Printing-Press. No. 213,535. Patented Mar. 25,1879.

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Printing-Press. No. 213,535. Patented Mar. 25,1879.-

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NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ROBERT J. STUART, OF YONKERS, NEW YORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN PRINTING-PRESSES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 213,535, dated March25, 1879 application filed November 16, 1877.

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, ROBERT J. STUART, of

Yonkers, in the county of Westchester and tion. Fig. 2 is aver-ticallongitudinal section.

Fig. 3 is a rear elevation; Fig. 4 a front elevation.

The remaining figures are detail views, and diagrams illustrating theoperation of various parts of the press, and which will be referred toin the body of this specification.

. The invention is shown as applied to a press having a verticaltype-bed for receiving the form of type, and a platen, which oscillatesto and from said bed.

The pile of sheets is supported -on a horizontal table or platform,which is pressed upward by a spring tending to keep the top of the pileagainst a transverse stationary bar situated immediately above saidtable. The table is located behind and lower than the platen. Africtional rubbing-bar rests on the top of the pile of sheets toward thefront edge thereof. A laterally-vibratingmotionbeingimparted to this barby appropriate mechanism, it draws the front edge of the top sheet fromunder a pressure-plate which rests on the front of the sheets. The edgeof this plate, which rests on the pile, being beveled, the edge of thesheet passes over said plate on being brought forward by therubbing-bar, and is held in position to be grasped by the jaws ofvertically-oscillating nippers, which descend and close upon it. At thisjuncture the table is depressed, and the nippers carry o the sheet andhold it suspended between the platen and bed of the press while itreceives the impression, which taking place, another pair of nippersseize the top edge of the sheet and take it to the piling-table, whereit is properly deposited.

In the drawings, A represents the framing ofthe machine; B, thetype-bed; C, the platen; I), the platen-arms, pivoted at E. F is thedriving-shaft; Gr, a pinion thereon, which gears with the wheel H onshaft I, to the opposite extremity of which is secured the cam-disk J. Kare links pivoted at one end to the platenarms, and at the other to thegear H and disk J. Thus, as the shaft I revolves, the platen isoscillated to and from the type-bed B. L is the ink-fountain, secured tothe side frames, as shown. In it revolves the fountain-roller M, havingits bearings in journal-boxes N sliding on the ends of the fountain, andset up to the knife-ed ge or doctor O by thumb-screws P.

Q is the distribution-roller, which is directly on the driving-shaft F,or is an enlargement of the same. B is the roller journaled inoscillating arms S, whereby it may be thrown in between said fountainand distribution-rollers, thus forming an intermediateconnecting-roller.

U is a traversing roller for distributing the ink on thedistribution-roller Q. (See Figs. 5, 6, and 7.) It is a sleeve whichrevolves and slides on the rod V, supported immediately over the rollerQ by the bar W, which is pivoted at its middle to a projection, X, fromthe back of the type-bed B.

From the bar W project upward two tappets, Y, one on either side of thepivot on which the bar W works. On the shaft I are two projections ortoes, Z Z, which, as the shaft revolves, come alternately andrespectively in contact with the tappets Y, thereby rocking the bar onits pivot.

The point at which the bar W is pivoted being in a line which intersectsthe axes of the rod V and roller Q, and being vertical to a horizontalplane, as the bar is oscillated each extremity of the rod is carriedalternately from side to side of a vertical plane passing through theaxis of the roller Q, so that it forms angles with such plane. Ahelicalmotion is thereby imparted to the sleeve-roller U, the direction andvelocity of its advance along the rod being dependent on the position ofthe bar W relatively to the direction in which the roller Q is revolvingand the degree of the angle which the rod makes with the roller, asbefore stated.

a are arms, secured to the extremities of a shaft, b, journaled in theoffsets c from the frame A. From the free ends of these arms are jointedthe suspending-rods d, which carry at their lower extremities thetypeinking rollers e. The arms are oscillated by the cam f on the insideof gear H, acting on an anti-friction roller, g, on one of the arms a. hare springs, which tend to keep the rollers against the face of thetype. The oscillation of the arms a carries the rollers over the formand down to the distribution-roller Q, from which they receive theirsupply of ink.

The following is a description of the mechanism for automaticallyseparating and feeding the sheets from a pile, and for piling theprinted sheets: 'i represents the table or pla-tform on which the pileof sheets is placed. (See Figs. 2, 4, and 8.) It is capable of avertical motion, being guided in grooves j in the side frames, intowhich grooves the pieces k, projecting from the under side of the table,enter. Z is a rod depending from the under side of the table, andpassing through a hole in the guide m. n is a coil-spring surroundingrod l, and tending to force the table upward. 0n the inner side of thepieces 7c are the ratchet-racks o, with the teeth of which the detents pon the extremity of the arms q engage. The arms q are on the shaft r, toone extremity of which (outside of the side frame) is secured the arm s,(see Fig. 1,) provided with anti-frictional roll t, running against theedge ot' cam J. Thus as the shaft ris rockedby the revolution of cam Jthe table t is depressed at the proper moment. u is a stationary bar,secured to the side frames, and situated directly above the table. Thespring u presses the table i or the pile of paper thereon against thebar u, which thus clamps the paper down on thetable. From thebaruprojectthe guides or gages fv w for keeping the paperin its properposition on the table. The detent p slides between the jaws on theextremity of arm q, and is pressed outward by the spring w. The lowestpoint of the motion of the arm q is fixed, being determined by the camJ. The extent of its motion upward is, however, dependent partly on theheight of the pile of paper. It is not, however, dependent on the totalheight of the pile, but on the successive sections of the pile, equal inthickness to the distance between the ratchet-teeth.

Itis obvious that, the straight line in which the edge of the rack-teethmoves being secant to the arc of a circle in which the point of thedetent moves, the gradual rise of the table will ultimately bring anytooth on which the detent may rest beyond the range of the detent, whichthen falls on the tooth next below.

y is a horizontal plate, supported upon short rods z, sliding verticallyin the guides a2, secured on the transverse bar b2. One edge, c2, ofplate y is beveled, as shown in Figs. 2 and 11, and, when not elevated,rests on the table i. d2 is a curved lever, pivoted at e2, onel end ofwhich is bent horizontally at right angles and extends underneath theplatey. The other extremity is provided with an anti-frictional rollacted on by the cam f2, Fig. 3. Thus as the cam revolves the plate israised and lowered from and to the sheets. Whenthe edge of the sheet isabout to be passed over the edge of the plate it (the plate) is heldfirmly down on the pile of sheets by the weight of the lever resting onthe pin g2, projecting from the guide h2. i2 is the frictionalrubbing'bar, to which is imparted a laterally-vibrating motion forseparating the sheets. (See Fig. 10.) lts extremities rest in the slotsj, cut in the vertical limbs of theleverslc2,pivotedat l, on eithersideof the frame. One ot' these levers (the one shown in Fig. 1) isbell-cranked, and the under edge of its horizontal limb is shaped withundulations, and rests on a stud or anti-frictional roller, m2,projecting from the platen-arm D, so that as the platen-arm rocks to andfro a vibrating motion is imparted tothe levers, the number of suchvibrations being dependent on the number of undulations on the arm.

The lower edge of the bar 'itis provided with a covering or strip ofindia-rubber or other frictional material, yand rests on the pile ot'sheets at a point between the .plate y and bar u. n2 is aroller parallelwith bar il, the ends of which take into slots o2 in the lever 7a2,which are cut at an angle to those in which the bar i rests. This rollerrests on the pile of sheets. As the levers are vibrated the rubber iacts on the top sheet of the pile to draw it from under the plate y andcarry it backward, the sheet forming a bend or arch between it and theroller n2. Although not absolutely necessary it is preferable,especially with poor quality of paper, to increase the distance betweenthe bar i2 and roller n2 as they move backward, or, in other words, toaccelerate the motion of the roller. To effect this the slot o2 is `cutat an angle to the slot jt, so that, as the arms k2 move back, theroller n is forced up the slot, and its motion is thus accelerated. Oneach end of the roller n2 .is a lever, p2, one end ot' which passesvunder the rubbing-bar iz, the other end carrying the sliding weight q2.By moving this weight along the arm the pressure with which therubbing-bar presses on the sheets is regulated.

m1 are arms secured on the shaft nl. The outer ends of these arms areconnected by the rod o, carrying the nippers pl. From the platen is aprojection carrying the-roll q1, which as the platen rocks acts againstone of the arms ml to raise or lower the nippers which movel between theplaten and bed of the press. r2 are curved arms secured to theextremities of the shaft s", having bearings on the oisets tzfrom theframe. The upper extremities of the lever s r2 are provided with rollu2, acted on by the cam 'v2 on the shaft I. To the lower ends of thelevers r2 are jointed the rods wz, which extend upward and take theextremities of rod m2 is guided in the guide-slots z2 on the upper partof the frame.

Both sets of nippers are constructed as follows, the upper pair 'bein gtaken for description: On the rod'` ais the sleeve a3, which carries atits end contiguousto the frame an arm, b3. from which a stud, o3,projects into the slot z2 in the f'rame. To the other extremityof thesleeve, situated about midway of the rod, is secured one jaw, d3, of thenippers, and on the rod a? is the other jaw, e3, the two workingtogether, as shown, Fig. 2. The jaws are kept closed by the spring f3,andare opened by the tappets g3 h3. rlhe one g3, actin-g on the head ofthe connecting-rod K, opens the yjaw e3 from the jaw d3, which is heldstationary by the arm b3 in the slot and h3 acting to .hold the jawstationary by coming against the stoppin i3, while the arm b3 opens thejaws by its stud entering the bend 'in the upper end of the slot z2. Thelower or feeding nippers are similarly constructed to those justdescribed. They are operated to grasp the sheet by a tappet, jg, securedto the `rod o, coming in contact with aprojection, 7c3, on the arm d2,which opens theln.

As the arm is lowered the nippers are closed on the sheet, and when inposition to deliver the sheet to the upper or delivery .nippers they areopened by the tappet jf coming in contact with the arm Z3, which is atthe same time moved forward by cam J.

m3 is the table on which the printed sheets are delivered and piled. Itis situated above the feedingtable in alniuclined position, as shown,Fig. 2.

n3 are bars for supporting the rear edge of the pile, which bars form anangle with the table m3. o3 are guides project-ing downward from theadjustable rod p3 onto the table and parallel with the rear supports ai.g3 are side gages adjustable on the rod p3.

The point at which the top edge of thesheet is held by thefeeding-nippers p1 to be taken by the delivery-nippers y? is fixed andinvariable, while that at which the paper is held when the impression istaken may vary. This i adjustment is effected by the supplemental armr3, which can be set down by the setscrew s3, so that it shall projectbelow the arm ml.

The point t3, Fig. 17 on the arm mi, determines the position of thenippers p1 when the sheet is taken by the delivery-nippers y2, while theend of the arm r3 -will determine their position when the impression isgiven.

It is often desirablein starting the press, to allow two or threerevolutions to take place before feedingthe paper. To eect this an arm,u, of the shape shown, Fig. 18, is pivoted to the side frame andprovided with astoppiece, fu, which, when the arm is raised andsupported on the catch w3, extends across the slot z2, and therebyprevents the deliverynip pers from descending.

The descent of the feedingnippers is prevented bythe stop w3, projectingfrom the arm m1 aud resting on the arm us. The nippers thus retain thesheet for a succession of impressions, thus saving the tympan-sheet.

On referring to Figs. 12 and 16, it will be seen that the sleevecarrying' the :nippers p is provided with a stop, 9, acting against thearm m1, being kept against it by a spiral spring, 904, wound around thesleeve, one extremity, 8, of which is fastened to the arm. The effect ofthis construction and arrangement is to make the nippers assume theposition sho'wn in Fig. l2 when they are at the upper end of theirstroke-that is to say, their lower extremity stands oft' from the bed ofthe press. Now, as theplaten approaches the bed to give the impression,it comes against these nippers and presses them in against the bed, asseen in dotted lines in Fig. ll, and as the platen recedes the spring x4throws out the nippers, thus stripping the sheet from the type.

` I amaware that nippers have been used for stripping off sheets ofpaper from a form of' type, but know of no instance in which they havebeen operated by the platen of the press, as just described.

The parts being constructed and arranged as described will operate asfollows: The operation of the hiking-rollers being generally wellunderstood, the foregoing description will suffice to render it obvious.The platen being at its farthest point from the bed', the revolution ofthe shaft I in the direction of the arrow will commence to drawit tothebed. The stud m2 on the platen-arms will thenact against thehorizontal limb of the lever 7a2, and by the undulations thereon willimpart a vibratory or laterally-reciprocating motion to the rubber bar'i2 and roller n2. Each forward movement of this bar draws the top sheetof paper from under the plate y, and as the bar t? moves forward theplate y is elevated fromthe paper by the cam f2 through the arm d'sothat the sheet is each time returned under the plate until the nippersdescend to take the sheet, when the plate y remains on the pile, and onthe forward movement of the rubbing-bar the edge of the sheet passesover the beveled edge c2 ofthe plate. The sheet is now in position to betaken by the feeding-nippers p1, which descend as the platen opens bythe action of the stud or roll q1 on the platen. A On arriving at thesheet the nippers grasp it, as before described, and the tablet' isdepressed by the cam J, which thus leaves the sheet free to be takenaway by the nippers, which, ascending as the platen closes to the bed,carry the sheet upward to the point where it is to be suspended for theimpression, which having been accomplished the platen commences to open,and the delivery-nippers descend and seize the top edge of the sheet andhold it stationary, while the feedingnippers riseabove the edge ofthesheet; then, by the contour of the lower extremity of the slot z2 andthe movement of the pitman-head K, on which the arm g3 rests, thenippers turn out or toward the platen to clear the sheet of thefeeding-nippers p', which about this moment commence their descent,while the delivery-nippers ascend and carry the sheet to thedelivery-table 'm3, where it is deposited between the guides.

With some kinds of paper it is unnecessary to move the rubbing-barbackward more than once, that motion being sufficient to separate thesheet properly. To eiiect this the oii'set or undnlations z3 on the armk2 may be removed, and as under such conditions it will be unnecessaryto elevate the plate y, the cam fl operating it may be thrown to oneside of the roller on the arm d2.

The press may be fed by hand by taking out the bar i2, roller n2, andbar u, the sheets being fed singly up to the stops y* on the plate y,Fig. 11.

I claim- 1. In a printing-press, the combination of a platen, C, bed B,mechanism, substantially as described, for separating the sheets from apile ot' paper, and nippers for taking the sheet from the separatingmechanism and suspending it between the bed andV platen to receive theimpression, constructed and operating substantially in the mannerdescribed and specified.

2. In combination with the bed and platen and the feed-board situatedbelow said bed and platen, the nippers p1, for taking the sheet from thefeed-board, rising with and suspending it between the bed and platen,and the nippers y2, for taking the sheet from the nippers p1 andconveying it upward and to the pilingboard m3, constructed and operatingsubstantially in the manner described and speci- 3. The combination ofthe separating mechanism, substantially as described, to separate thesheets from a pile, the nippers p1, for taking the sheet so separatedand suspending it between the platen and bed, and the nippers y2, fortaking the printed sheet from the nippers p1 and carrying it to thepiling-table m3, constructed and operating substantially in the mannerdescribed and specified.

4. The method herein described of separating sheets of paper from a pileby clamping the front edge of the pile under a yielding clamp,substantially as described, and then with africtional rubbing-bar actingon the top of the pile to draw the top sheet from under the clamp, andthen raising the clamp and returning the sheet or sheets under saidclamp for a repetition of the operation, whereby the perfect separationof the sheets is eii'ected, substantially in the manner described andspecified.

5. The combination of the levers k2, rubbing-bar i2, and roller n,situated behind said bar in the inclined slots in the levers k2,constructed and operating substantially in the manner described andspecified.

6. The combination of the bar W, rod V, roller U, tappets Y Y, andprojections Z on shaft I, constructed and operating substantially in themanner described and specified.

7. The combination of the nippers p1, arm ml, arm r3, adjusting-screws3, and projection from the platen q1, constructed and operatingsubstantially in the manner described and specified, for adjusting theposition of the nippers p1 when the impression is taken.

8. The combination of the arm ua, arm lm1, provided with projectionw3,`nippers p, and catch a", for arresting the descent of the nippers,constructed and operating substantially in the manner described andspecified.

9. The combination, with the delivery-nippers and their shaft running inthe slot z2, of the arm n3, provided with projection v3 and catch m3,constructed and operating substantially in the manner described andspecified.

ROBERT J. STUART.

Vitnesses:

E. H. J oHNsoN, ALFRED SHEDLOCK.

